The present invention relates to a metal building panel, such as roof panel, for example. In particular, the present invention relates to such a metal building panel which is of the type having integral edge formations configured to form a standing seam joint between adjoining pairs of such panels.
Metal building panels of the standing seam type are well known in the prior art. Representative U.S. Pat. Nos. showing such panels are: Owens 1,292,960; Strong 1,558,410; Thompson 3,771,482; Day 3,889,437; Yoder 4,168,596; Heckelsberg 4,193,247; Heckelsberg 4,213,282; and Heckelsberg 4,224,775.
The panels disclosed in the foregoing patents require the use of a seaming tool to crimp and deform the inter-engaged edges to form the standing seam joint. These seaming tools are rather expensive and consequently a typical metal building contractor will have only a limited supply of such tools. Thus, these tools must be transported from job site to job site. Very often, delays are encountered in the field because a seaming tool is not available at the time of erection of a roof, for example, of a metal building. Further, these seaming tools frequently become damaged in the field necessitating return to the contractor's shop for repairs causing, of course, delays in the erection process.
It is known in the prior art to provide metal building panels which do not require the use of such seaming tools. These metal panels are configured to provide a snap-lock which does not require significant bending or deformation of the panel edge formations. Representative prior art will be found in U.S. Pat. Nos.: Clemmer 970,885; Straus 3,511,011; Matlock 3,898,783; Wilson 3,982,373; and Reinwall 3,998,019.
Although the snap-lock type of panels have enjoyed substantial acceptance in the field, they do have some disadvantages. In this regard, very often the snap-lock achieved by these panels will not meet the specifications for a particular job that call for a more secure lock than can be achieved only by panels configured to be significantly crimped and deformed in the field by use of the rather expensive seaming tools referred to above. Consequently, the snap-lock type of panel has limited utility because in some instances it will not comply with the architect's specifications.